1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cover for an electrical connector and, more particularly, to a cover having improved features.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
Many electrical connection manufacturers fabricate plastic covers that are placed over electrical connectors in order to shield them from brush contact from other wires, equipment, and workers' hands. Historically these covers have been manufactured from HDPE or PP resins in order that they may have flame retardance and flexibility, which allows the connectors to be used in telecommunications environments requiring UL 94 flame resistance ratings as well as flexibility in the fingers that are used in the conductor/cover transition area.
One of the key installation issues in installed connectors used in applications requiring these covers is the use of a ‘die index’. This ‘die index’ is an ‘embossment’ on the surface of the connector that corresponds to a certain crimp die design, and the crimp die contains an embossed digit or digits on it's crimping surface. When used to crimp a connector, the connector material forms into this embossment when being displaced over the conductors or ‘crimped’. This die embossment is a very important aspect of the connection, because it confirms with future inspectors of the connection that the correct die was, in fact, used to terminate the given connection.
Further, recent industry trends have resulted in the steady change from polypropylene and polyethylene to polycarbonate, especially for the telecommunications market. Manufacturers such as T&B and PANDUIT have recently developed covers, which are clear and allow the user to see the connection that it is protecting. This has been a very interesting and well-received development in the marketplace, as these covers provide the perceived ability to better understand and inspect the integrity of the connections. PANDUIT has recently introduced a polycarbonate cover with flexible polypropylene fingers at both ends of the cover.
Unfortunately these clear covers lack two very important aspects: the ability to see the die index close-up, and the ability of the covers to have conductor/cover interface fingers that are flexible enough to prevent them from breaking and to prevent them from damaging the conductor insulation when installed.
In addition, one of the key installation aspects of these connector covers is that they be installed onto connectors, then ‘pulled’ into place in a wire trough or cable tray prior to being attached to power equipment. This ‘pulling’ action can be detrimental to the integrity of the connector cover by causing the cover to get caught on the equipment or the cable tray, causing potential damage. Lastly, there exists a need in these covers to be able to provide a ‘redundant’ mechanism to prevent the cover from opening, should the latches for some reason come undone during the pulling process. The need is compounded by the fact that any external means of achieving the secondary latching must be robust and unable to be easily slipped off of the cover during its useful life.